Training camps are underway for fall sports. And that means soon parks and fields and stadiums will be filled with young athletes of all ages and skill levels giving all they’ve got. And with all that effort, bumps and collisions and blows to the head are inevitable. To help ensure the safety of young athletes, MOSH works with a vast number of sports programs in southeastern Wisconsin, providing sports medicine support, baseline concussion testing, concussion screening, and return to play evaluation and clearance. Our team of physicians, physician assistants and certified athletic trainers has extensive concussion training and manages them in the best, most comprehensive way possible.
What Exactly is a Concussion?
Many times the word “concussion” gets tossed around when someone has fallen or been hit in the head at a sporting event. But how many of us actually know what happens in the brain for a concussion to occur or how to gauge the seriousness of one?
A concussion is defined as a type of traumatic brain injury usually caused by a blow to the head or body, a fall or another injury that jars or shakes the brain. This blow or jolt to the head triggers a complex flood of physiologic events that lead to a disruption in the proper functioning of the brain reflected by a group of signs and symptoms.
Sometimes it’s easy to determine if a person has just experienced a concussion. They might pass out or have no recollection of what just happened to them. Other times they might appear fine and show symptoms hours later.
Seek Qualified Evaluation
So, how do you know if that bump to the head is serious or not? It’s always best to see a doctor within one to two days of a concussion; however, be sure to seek emergency medical attention if you or a loved one experiences memory loss, a constant or worsening headache, dizziness, confusion, slow-moving mental function or changes in behavior.
And remember, State law requires any child in an organized athletic program suspected of a concussion to be removed from play. To return to play, the child must be evaluated and cleared by a medical professional. Don’t feel pressured to return the athlete to the field of play before a medical professional says they are ready.
Through our Concussion Care Network, medical experts of Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital can treat head injuries and concussions in both children and adults. Request an appointment today.